AG: Lee man shot by police Details scant; state official says they are 'still putting the pieces together'

Tuesday

Dec 4, 2012 at 3:15 AMDec 4, 2012 at 5:56 AM

By Andrea Bulfinchabulfinch@fosters.com

LEE — Officials continue to investigate details of the circumstances leading to a local man being shot by officers on Lee Hook Road in the early hours of Monday morning.

At a news conference Monday afternoon, Senior Assistant Attorney General Susan Morrell said officials were in town to “investigate the facts and circumstances” leading up to the shooting of Steve Amazeen, 45, of 289 Lee Hook Road, whose wife, Mary, called police just after midnight to report her husband had fired a weapon in their home and was suicidal.

Amezeen is in stable condition at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital in Dover.

Police made contact with Amazeen, owner of Mystic Dragon Tattoo in Dover, on the roadway near his home. Officials are “still putting the pieces together” as to what unfolded there, but Morrell said she believes the interaction between police and Amazeen was brief. She could not comment as to whether Amazeen had threatened the officers with a weapon.

“We are investigating why he was shot and by whom,” she said.

Though she said police have a good idea of who shot Amazeen, time is needed to conduct a thorough investigation. No answers were given pertaining to how many officers fired at Amazeen or how many shots were fired.

Amazeen's Facebook page shows he is a graduate of Oyster River High School.

While officials were tight-lipped on many details leaving a number of questions unanswered, Morrell did say it can “be surmised” that what happened inside Amazeen's home before he left was a “domestic issue going on in the home.”

Amazeen's wife was unharmed during the incident, and Morrell said she believes the couple's young child, also unharmed, was present when Mary Amazeen dialed 911.

Amazeen remains at Wentworth-Douglass Hospital, where he was transported from the scene.

Investigators will also look into whether there is an underlying mental health issue or if a drug or alcohol problem contributed to Amazeen's actions, according to Morrell.

“Something prompted this,” she said.

Morrell said the investigation may take days or weeks to conclude and the case will go to the Strafford County Attorney's Office and the Lee Police Department to look into any potential criminal charges.

Numerous police departments responded to the scene including Durham, Newmarket, Barrington and Newfields, as well as others.

Lee Hook Road remained closed to traffic from the intersection of Little Hook Road to the Durham town line until about 4:30 p.m. while the State Police Major Crime Unit continued to investigate the shooting.